Conference - CHECK

My first big project of 2012 has been completed - USEU Statewide Conference is complete and it was a success!!! Over 300 students and community showed up to our first day of workshops and speakers. That's what's up!!

Also, it was my first time facilitating a workshop on women's health - Shodhini style. It was a group of about 19 women and 1 man. We discussed several things that we feel affect the way our body functions: food/diet, exercise, doctors, hormonal birth control, knowledge of our own bodies, etc. It was amazing to see so many women genuinely engaged into this dialogue, and even more amazing to see how many "light bulbs" turned on in their minds. Many fires were ignited, and it reinforced my belief that a true connection to our body makes us fearless.

It was crazy to see a man in this circle, but it actually ended up being pretty cool. He had some really good input, and overall it strengthened the ideas that were brought up in the discussion.

Health - who knew this would be one of my biggest journeys in life....Just getting to a point where I know my body + por ende my environment. Finding the way to the top of my game. Never knew itd be this close to me. Super bliss!!

Hay mucho trabajo por delante. Salu!

13

Friday 13 - In many indigenous cultures, the number 13 is sacred, being the number of accomplishment, mystery, magic, and ancestral wisdom. There are: 13 levels of heaven in Mesoamerican philosophy, 13 lunar cycles, and 13 joints in the human body. If one looks closely at the shell of Turtle, one can see that it is divided into thirteen large sections which represent the thirteen moons of the lunar year (if you count the smaller segments around the lower edge of the shell, you will find there are 28, which represents the 28 days between new moons). And, of course, the 13 Indigenous Grandmother's Council! A good book is, "Thirteen Moons on a Turtle's Back" by Joseph Bruchac and Jonathan London.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Curanderismo-the-Healing-Art-of-Mexico/280837062184

Northern Moon

My brain has been chewing on some thoughts regarding wisdom, service, and ego. More so, I've been observing the organizing and activist "conscious" spaces that continue to cycle egotistical problem-solving (more like problem-creating).

When crunch time comes around, the nastiness comes out. Fingers start pointing almost immediately, trying to find a scapegoat for the mess. I gotta ask myself, What does "consciousness" mean in this context? What does leadership mean?

I feel like consciousness is the acceptance and awareness of the dualities before you: what's directly in front of you + the universal picture. It means that you know that this project, event, piece, moment, etc. has the capacity to impact and touch many people's lives (in order to help the awakening of our sleepwalking brethren) while also keeping in mind the capacity you have to impact people they have right in front you: your team.

Pointing fingers is the easy way out - it doesn't require much intelligence to realize someone fucked up. It takes a leader to human-up and read the flow of exchange between collaborators - to find the root of the issue and find the solution. A leader uses mistakes to teach, not to blame.

To be contd..